winter road constuction - very wet

Best Practices for winter road constuction - very wet

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Can you get the TV special called "Mud Loggers" ? Them ole boys got it down to a fine art...

If you don't have cold enough temps to freeze the road, your options are limited, difficult, and expensive.Logging slash like limbs and tops (coarse woody debris) or log corduroy is one option but it may not be a good option, especially for that distance. Another would be to lay down some geotextile fabric and then gravel or other granular fill on top.It's really difficult to say without knowing the soils, drainage, etc. Plus it is somewhat dependent on what the land will be used for later and environmental rules that must be followed.Here is an online version of some guidelines for Minnesota that has a section devoted to construction of forest roads. It is a large download so be prepared for that.Forest Management Guidelines

thanks for the link. We are seriously considering corduroy as the only viable option. The challenge will then be having enough traction on the logs to climb the hill. Fortunately downhill is loaded.In the absence of government onlookers a swamploggers style would be doable for a few days then we would have a 3m wide river of mud running down the hill. Plus our gear is not set up for flotation. Tyres are too agressive and not wide enough. More suited to climbing then swimming.Fingers crossed we have a few dry days and it has  chance to start draining/drying.DTR

Iam not sure what they call it but they take old tires and slice the side walls off then weave them togather in mats.  But always wondered if a fellow had a few rolls of six foot chainlink fence and rolled them out laceing them over top each other making a ten foot wide mat and driving on them. Wouldn't work for a skidder but maybe would work for a forwarder.

Sounds like an area to stay out of until the "dry season" if there is one. If not, it may not be environmentally sound or appropriate to operate in it. ;)

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That's the kind of situation that an eight wheel forwarder with tracks would help tremendously. They have very low ground pressure and will not make ruts normally. I have a six wheel forwarder with tracks and it does very good, but an eight wheel machine is even better.But if you have to operate when it's raining or the ground is wet, you should seriously consider a geotextile and some granular fill over the top for an all weather road.

Gary. Currently dry hiring a TimberKing/Fabtek 8 wheeler. No tracks and I think the tyres are just too small. Waiting on a Valmet 860/6.Looking at other options including dozing in a new road and/or geotextile.thanksDTR

Could you find enough mats to rent from an operator down there? The loggers and especially the pipeline crews here use them a lot. They'll float the trucks, skidders,trackhoes,dozers, etc,etc. When you're done just pick them back up. It's a lot easier to pick up mats then it is to pick up corduroy.

GdayDuncan how many acres do you have left to go on this block  ??? and congrats on the  Valmet  Mate ;) ;D 8) dose it have std tyres or hight floatations for it aswell ? if not ill give a couple of blokes i know that  have them aswell as setts tracks a bell and see if they are willing to part with them for you but i will need to know your tyre size Mate  ;)Dozing and laing a new road if you can keep it near a ridge line as it will require less maint and would most likely be the best bet if the volumes there to justify the expence which can rise pretty quick once winters set ingeo works well but you only want to use it where its needed  which it might be here ;)the other option would be mats across the soft spots across the padocks aswell but 200m x 8x8"mm x 20' cants bolted 4 wide together adds upto alot of timber about 1.9 m3 per 6m section of road so to cover the 200m you would need about 60m3 of mat timber plus the time to mill, drill and bolt them all togetherIts all pretty hard to think of the most economical way to go unless your standing there looking at the lay of the site MateIts Wet up here too and we still have to get through springand we are waiting on our first lot of 2 to 4 loads of house logs for the last 6 weeks as our contractor was going to start a new block but is now holding off till things clear up which might be awhile  :( :(Good luckRegards Chris

Chris, 24ha to go. Less than two days of work and we are pulling out. Off to a smaller job for the next few weeks to let it dry out.Standard semi floats on the Valmet. We will need some tracks if there are some floating about.DTR

I have a Valmet 840/6 and run tracks all the time. I also have an extra set of 700 tracks that I am selling off a Valmet 546H but you are a long way from here.That's probably a good idea to go to another job for now.

Quote from: Gary_C on August 21, 2010, 09:04:19 PMI have a Valmet 840/6 and run tracks all the time. I also have an extra set of 700 tracks that I am selling off a Valmet 546H but you are a long way from here.That's probably a good idea to go to another job for now.i am loking for a set of tracks for a 546 .....mine has 600 tires......what are used tracks worth???

I'm not real sure about 600 tracks, but I'm told that even a well worn (75-80 % worn out) set of 700 tracks is still worth $3500. Last I knew a new set of 700's was over $12K.

do you have access to end slabs from the mill?  I have used these in double layers in a corduroy pattern and have been able to drive a loaded log truck across.  It doesn't take long to lay down and you can remove it fast to reuse.  It really helps spread the weight across an area that other wise you couldn't drive on.good luck to you.FB

Quote from: Gary_C on August 22, 2010, 01:33:41 PMI'm not real sure about 600 tracks, but I'm told that even a well worn (75-80 % worn out) set of 700 tracks is still worth $3500. Last I knew a new set of 700's was over $12K.i called about a used set i know the guy has been trying to sell them for over a yr. wanted 3k not a penny less. labonlivlle has clark tracks on there website for 5k. anybody ever try clark tracks???

GdayDuncan i have a couple of people having alook at what they have out the back of the shed hopefully we'll fund you a set that arnt needed any more at a reasonable price  Mate  ;)Rgards Chris

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